Trial by Fire
by princess-of-the-sandcastle
Summary: When the life of the only person who has ever cared about him is at stake, Hans Westergaard of the Southern Isles is forced to sacrifice his secret and his hope of ever finding happiness. Will he be able to find his own place in Arendelle? Frozen rewrite, Hansanna, Fire!hans **IN PROGRESS** T rating for safety
1. Chapter 1

A/N: An attempt to re-imagine Frozen from a different perspective. Thank you in advance for reviewing this story.

Disclaimer: Frozen and all of its attributes are owned by Disney and not by me.

Chapter One: Well, when life gives you lemons...

The hot, stale air inside the cargo hold of the tallship gave Hans such nausea that he wondered if he would ever get his sea-legs, as the crew of the ship called it. The thirteenth prince of the Southern Isles thought that after a few days at sea, he would have adjusted. Unfortunately for him, he had been confined to the small, dirty stall that presently he was sharing with a large, grumpy Fjord horse. After his less than pleasant departure from his home, the only passage that would be afforded him was aboard a cargo ship, headed to Arendelle, of all places.

From what Hans had heard, the country's monarch had been isolated for years, but was about to make her coronation. He wasn't given much choice of a destination, but maybe, if he lucked out, nobody would have heard about what happenned in the Southern Isles. If the country was as closed off as its royal family, then maybe he would be able to blend in.

The one lantern swung lazily from side to side overhead as the boat rocked with the tide. The horse, for his part, seemed to be just as dazed by the uneven keel of the boat as Hans was. It too was being sent away, after gaining a reputation for kicking. Hans kept as much distance as he could, and the horse was fine with this. Hans sat in a pile of straw with his bucket, hoping that he would be able to keep his lunch down, a slop of porridge with onions. In his pocket were a few slices of lemon, which had been given to him as protection against scurvy. Hoping it might also help his stomach, he took a slice out and went to eat it, bracing for the sour taste.

The horse nickered and looked at him from the other side of the stall.

"Stay over there...um, whatever your name is," Hans said warily. "Just stay on your side, okay?"

The horse came closer. Hans eyed the horse's famous hooves and scooted against the wall.

"Stay back!" Hans shouted.

Now, the horse was towering over him, looking at him eagerly.

"What do you want?" Hans said, scrambling to his feet. The horse nickered again and sniffed at the slice of lemon in his hand.

"This? You won't like it," Hans warned. "But go ahead, have at it."

The horse eagerly chomped up the lemon, then whinnied.

"You like it?" Hans was surprised, but fed him another slice, to the horse's great pleasure. "They told me you didn't have a name. Well, I guess I'll call you...Sitron. How's that? Seeing as you like them so much."

Noticing that Hans was out of lemon slices, the horse snorted defiantly and went back over to its own corner of the stall.

"Sitron it is, then," Hans said, smirking. "Fitting for a gelding with such a sour disposition, anyway."

Seeming to understand the insult, the newly-named Sitron snorted again defiantly.

"You're welcome, by the way," Hans said as he sat back down in his pile of straw.

##

Three days later, they had made more than half of their journey. Hans' seasickness still kept him confined to the cargo hold, and as the crew were too busy to spend more time in the hold than was necessary, Sitron was Hans' only companion.

"They told me you kicked someone," Hans said in the afternoon, sharing a stale biscuit with Sitron. "Bet they deserved it, huh?"

Sitron snorted in agreement.

"I know what you mean, buddy," Hans said. "I have twelve older brothers, and they all could use a swift kick from someone like you."

The horse, disinterested, had his head in a feed bucket, but Hans needed someone to talk to.

"They ganged up on me. They always made me feel like nothing. Less than nothing. And then...well, I have to show you something."

Sitron watched as Hans took off one of his gloves. Putting a piece of straw in his hand, he closed his eyes and concentrated. In an instant, the straw burst into flame, then crumbled into ash. Sitron, spooked by the sudden flame, whinnied nervously.

"It's okay! Don't worry," Hans said soothingly. "Look, I've always been able to do stuff like that. But my brothers...they hated me for it. Called me a freak. That's why they got rid of me. I don't know how or why I can do this. But a few weeks ago...well, I tried to defend myself, and one of my brothers got hurt. So they sent me away."

The Fjord horse still looked suspicious of Hans.

"I figured you might get it, that's all," Hans said, looking away. He heard the sound of the horse's hooves getting nearer and then Sitron was sniffing at his pockets again.

"Oh, yeah. Almost forgot. They gave me these this morning," Hans said, giving Sitron another lemon wedge.

##

When the cargo ship finally reached the fjords of Arendelle, Hans couldn't wait to be on dry land again. Still, he was worried. What if word had somehow reached Arendelle about what happened in the Southern Isles? What if everyone found out about what he could do with fire? He was nervous, to say the least. That was usually when Hans made decisions that other people found, well, crazy.

"Captain," Hans said as he was disembarking from the ship, "How much for the horse? I have need of one while I'm here."

The ship's captain laughed and said, "You want to buy that thing? Was going for sale as a work horse in the mill, I think. There are stables in town where you can buy a fine horse, one that won't kick you for attempting to ride it.

"I'll pay double what the miller wanted," Hans said, fishing into his pocket for his small bag of silver coins, his one admission for his banishment.

"Suit yourself," the captain said. Sitron was brought up from the hold and when the crew fought him into his tack, he was given to Hans. Sitron eyed Hans suspiciously when he took the reins and tried to lead him down the gangplank.

"There's lots of lemons for sale in the port market, but we can't get there without leaving the ship," Hans said. At the mention of lemons, Sitron eagerly trotted past Hans with such enthusiasm that the prince almost fell into the fjord.

"Good luck with that horse, then!" the captain shouted.

Hans caught up with Sitron and, after negotiation with the last lemon wedge he had, convinced Sitron to let him ride. Astride the horse, Hans almost felt like he might be able to find his own place in Arendelle.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: When writing this chapter, I didn't want it to be word-for-word what happened in the movie, so I rewrote the dialogue in the scene where Hans meets Anna to make it more concise. R&R appreciated, also thank you, Guest, for your comment, I will be walking through the major points of Frozen again, but this time through a different lens. So kind of Frozen all over again, but with my own twist.

Chapter 2: Welcome to Arendelle

Astride Sitron, Hans could see that the port city's marketplace stretched for blocks. Towering above the stalls of merchants' wares was a great castle, resplendent in the summer sun. He was taking in the beauty of the fjord when Sitron jerked to a stop.

"Fresh citrus fruits! All the way from Spain!" a greengrocer called. The stall was filled with boxes of lemons, limes, and nectarines.

"No," Hans said, pulling back on the reins. The horse nickered and inched closer.

"No!" Hans repeated, trying to turn the draft horse in the opposite direction, but the horse refused, stretching his muzzle towards a large, juicy orange in the barrel closest to him.

"Hey, you!" the merchant cried angrily as the horse took a bite out of the orange.

"Now look what you did," Hans said to the horse, who paused mid-bite, bits of pulp dripping from his mouth. The merchant looked at the horse in disgust.

"I'm sorry, sir," Hans said, embarrassed. "Here, take this."

He threw a coin in his direction and pulled back on the reins again. Sitron took one last bite to finish the orange and as he did, a carriage rushed by, a hound dog baying from inside. Spooked, Sitron reared up and his hooves crashed down, breaking the barrel and crushing several oranges into the ground. Pulp and juice seeped into the cobblestones as the merchant turned livid. He reined Sitron in, patting his neck, then looked at the merchant, who had turned as red as a blood orange.

Hans hastily threw a few more coins down on the table and they rode off back towards the docks. "I'm sorry!" Hans called out as the merchant shook his fist.

"I can't believe you," Hans said. "No wonder why you were so cheap."

Sitron snorted in rebellion. Hans was so embarrassed that he didn't notice that a young woman had walked directly into his horse's path.

"-Nothing's in my way!" she was singing. That is until she collided with Sitron. "Whoa!"

In an instant, she had fallen off the docks into a rowboat. When Hans tried to help her, he lost his footing. In the confusion, Sitron had knocked him into the boat as well, and she and Hanse were both awkwardly lying in the boat.

"Hi, I'm so sorry," they said in unison, which only made them more embarrassed.

"Let me help you up," Hans said, standing uneasily in the boat. He spotted her as she climbed back up onto the dock, then clambered up behind her.

"I hope I haven't ruined your walk," Hans said, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. From the way she was dressed, it was obvious that she was from the upper class.

"No, it's okay, really. I'm sorry I walked in front of your horse," Anna replied, rambling. "If I was my sister, you'd probably be worse off. Yeesh. She can't let anything go. Anyway, let's start over. "

"Okay," Hans said, relieved.

"I'm Anna," she said. "I mean, Princess Anna. Of Arendelle. Obviously."

"Princess," Hans said, understanding dawning on him. He had just knocked the Princess of Arendelle into a rowboat. So much for making a good impression. "It's wonderful to make your acquaintance. I'm Prince Hans, from the Southern Isles. This is Sitron, my terrible horse."

"He doesn't look so terrible to me," Anna said, scratching the horse under the chin.

"Well, you just haven't got to know him yet," Hans replied snarkily. "Believe me, you have no idea."

Hans realized that Anna was staring at him, wide-eyed. Hans wondered if there was something on his face. He smiled awkwardly, which only made her seem more intrigued with him. Suddenly, the sound of church bells rang out from the castle.

"Oh, I'm late!" Anna said. "I'm late! The coronation...I have to go. It was nice to meet you, Prince Hans! Will you come to the coronation ball?"

"I don't have an invitation," Hans replied.

"Oh, okay! Well, I'm inviting you!" she said brightly. "See you there!"

Anna started running toward the castle, unlike any upper-class woman he had ever seen. Hans glanced at Sitron.

"Guess it wasn't that bad of an impression, after all, huh?" Hans joked. "Well,

I have a ball to get ready for. We need to find some lodging." He mounted the fjord horse and they continued through the market into the town, avoiding the greengrocer's stall. He hoped that tonight, he wouldn't see anyone else from the Southern Isles. All he had to do was remain calm, and enjoy himself. Stay in control. Don't let any accidents happen. He could do this.


	3. Chapter 3

_**AN: Thank you to all of you who continue to read this. I have so much respect for those authors who update regularly because I am entering my last term of college before I graduate, and I hardly have time to work on this at all. I'd love to finish it before the new movie comes out, but who am I kidding? XD **_

_**Thank you for your comments and reviews and criticism. I appreciate it greatly.**_

_**~Rae**_

_**Also, DISCLAIMER: Disney owns this, not me. If I owned it Hanna would be canon by now **_(┛ಠ_ಠ)┛彡┻━┻

**Chapter 3: The Coronation**

From the very back of the chapel, squashed uncomfortably between a visiting duke and a local viscount, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles strained to see the ceremony that was taking place on the altar. He could tell even from his distance-obscured perspective that the queen was terrified. Hans had attended so many royal ceremonies that he was used to seeing nobility crippled with stage fright, but there was something else going on. Something off that he couldn't name.

The young heiress was standing rigidly, and Hans guessed that if he could see her face well, it would appear equally frozen. He tried to get a better view, but the nobleman standing directly in front of him was wearing a tall top hat that obscured most of the goings-on from his sight. Hans groaned. Shouldn't a foreign prince get a better place to stand, or at least a seat in one of the pews?

_Only the thirteenth son_, his father's voice nudged from the back of his mind.

He tried shuffling a little to the left, but when he did, he invoked the irritation of the duke. Resigned to his poor spot, he found a small window over the nobleman's shoulder and watched the best that he could.

The heiress stood still while the bishop spoke the invocation over her. Then, she took off her gloves and held the globe and scepter as the bishop continued. A chill blew through the chapel, and Hans regretted not packing a better coat. Evidently, he had underestimated how cold Arendelle could be, even in midsummer. He closed his eyes and focused until he felt a wave of warmth radiating through his body.

"It's too hot back here," the viscount grumbled. The duke shushed him. Hans shoved his hands in the pockets of his coat and stopped the heat as quickly as he could. Nobody could know about him. He was here to meet the queen, to make a good impression. The last thing he wanted was for all of Arendelle to know he was a freak too.

The bishop's voice rang like a cathedral bell as he called out: "Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

The chapel erupted into thunderous applause. The choir began to sing as the newly-crowned Queen Elsa began to walk down the aisle once more. Everyone clamored to see the Queen in her crown and robes. When she was close enough that Hans could see her, the chill came over him again. She met his awed stare and in her eyes, he saw a fear that was beyond stage fright. A fear that betrayed the terror of judgment, of being exposed. A fear that Hans knew all too well.

It couldn't be. There was no way that the Queen was suffering like he was. If only he could ask her...maybe at the coronation ball, he could-

_Make a good impression in Arendelle_, his father's voice echoed again. _If word gets out about you...we'll never stand a chance with gaining the new Queen's favor._

Hans sighed as she walked past him and disappeared outside the chapel doors. It was too risky, and maybe he had imagined it all.

"Hans! Hans! Hi!"

He looked up and saw the younger princess waving at him from the recessional line. He smiled and waved back.

"See you tonight!" she called out as her royal handlers urged her onward back towards the palace.

"See you!" Hans returned happily.

For a moment, seeing Anna made him forget about the whole thing. She was so kind and warm-hearted, nothing like his brothers back home. Hans wondered if he could get to know her without her discovering his secret. As he filed out of the chapel with the rest of the crowd, he realized that there was no way she would want anything to do with him once she realized the truth. She was probably only being polite. Once she knew what he was, she'd never want to see him again.

He had to be careful at the ball. One little slip and he could be revealed. He could only imagine what could happen if word of the curse got out at such a public event. He'd be sent home to the Southern Isles in shame. One tiny spark could ruin everything.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: First of all, I had written half of this chapter and then it got deleted off my computer...ARGH! But I am excited about this chapter. So I started from scratch…**

**Same Disclaimer As Usual. None of these darlings are my property. **

** Ceci: Yo tambien, y es por eso que escribo esto. Espero que sigas leyendo :)**

** Guest: Just wait and see how the ball goes. You'll see… ;-)**

Trial By Fire Chapter 4: The Coronation Ball

Hans waited nervously for his name to be called, thinking of all the possible ways that he could screw up his first conversation with the Queen.

Don't mess it up, he thought as he rocked on his heels.

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles," the herald announced. Hans stumbled into the ballroom and looking around.

What a reasonable person would do would be to look around to see where Anna was, the only familiar face he could think of. What he wanted to do more than anything was to jump out one of the great glass windows, run to the stables, and take off with Sitron to the mountains and points west. Then he could forget all of the eyes staring at him, inspecting the foreign prince with curiosity and suspicion. Could they all see right through him?

Considering the political and social ramifications of being seen busting through a window at a state event, Hans nixed the idea and focused on walking down the stairs without falling so he could do what he was sent here to do. Thankfully, the judgemental crowd soon became apathetic, and he was able to slip into the wave of partygoers without much fanfare.

Crossing the ballroom at the edges, he made his way to the receiving line and waited for his turn to speak with the queen. He was used to waiting; he had waited his whole life for a chance to get out of the Isles and see the world. He just had to make a good impression.

Suddenly, it was his turn and he was standing face to face with the newly crowned Queen Elsa of Arendelle.

"Good evening, your majesty," Hans said, bowing deeply at the waist. He tried to take Elsa's hand to follow the custom of kissing the monarch's ring as a greeting. Her eyes flashed with terror and she pulled her hand away. Then she was as composed as she was seconds before. Hans had only touched her hand for a second, but he felt the shock of icy cold the moment that their hands met. He was left speechless by the eerie sensation, before Elsa cleared her throat, prompting him to introduce himself.

"I am Hans, a Prince of the Southern Isles. I want to extend congratulations on behalf of my father, King Lars, and to express his wishes that your reign is long and prosperous."

Hans had practiced this speech probably a hundred times on the boat. Elsa, for her part, accepted the blessing graciously despite hearing the same message probably a hundred times that night.

"About your coronation today," Hans said, curiosity getting the better of him. "You did very well. I had to say, however, that it was very cold in the chapel...is this a common occurrence in the summer, here in Arendelle?"

Elsa's eyes widened.

"I... can't presume to know what you might be speaking about," she said suddenly. "Excuse me, but there are other guests that I must attend to."

Hans bowed again, then scurried back into the crowd as fast as he could. Everything was going well until he tried to ask about the cold. Still, he knew that something was off about the queen. Something she was hiding. Maybe, if he could find a way to watch her without her knowing, he could find out more.

What am I thinking? I wasn't sent here to see if the new queen was cursed. Just to see her crowned, and then to go home without making a fool of myself.

Finally, Hans spotted a familiar face and felt a wave of relief. Princess Anna was holding up the fondue line by seeing how many strawberries she could dip in the chocolate fountain at once.

"Your highness," Hans said, bowing slightly.

"Oh! Prince Hans! I'm so happy that you came!" Anna said brightly, plopping the chocolate covered strawberries on a plate. She curtsied, almost dropping the plate in the process. They both giggled.

"You must be a big chocolate fan, huh?"

"Yes," Anna said enthusiastically through a mouthful of fruit.

"So, I just met your sister," Hans said. "She seems...stressed."

"Yes, well, she's kind of like that," Anna said. "I mean, don't get me wrong, she's wonderful, she just has a lot on her plate."

Anna, who also had a lot on her plate, almost dropped it again when an overzealously dancing duke almost crashed into her.

"It's too crowded over here near the dancefloor," Hans said. "Maybe we could head over towards the other side?"

"I have a better idea," Anna said, setting her plate down on a table. "Let's go to the gardens. They're right outside."

"I love that idea," Hans replied, happy to leave the stuffy ballroom. Anna grabbed Hans by the arm, and one more strawberry for the road, before pulling him out the great french doors into the castle gardens.

The lush greenery instantly made Hans feel more at ease. Anna continued to talk about all the things that she had seen that day and the people that she had met, and he was having a hard time keeping up.

"The way you're talking, you make it sound like you've never left the castle before," he joked.

"Oh, I haven't," Anna replied.

"What? Surely you're kidding."

"Today is the first time in forever that the palace gates have been open," Anna explained. "And it's only for today, too."

"Why?"

"When my parents went on their trip, they wanted the gates closed while they were gone. Then, when they passed away, my sister never opened the gates again."

"I'm sorry about your parents," Hans said. He had heard about the shipwreck; the news of the tragedy spread across the Isles soon after it had happened.

"I barely remember them," Anna admitted.

"At least you and your sister had each other. You must be so close," Hans said, a little envy creeping in. Any jealousy he felt was swept away by her response.

Anna sat down on a bench, looking off at a fountain in the distance.

"Actually, no. She locked herself in her room all these years, and I didn't see her much...or at all. I'm so happy for today because tomorrow, I'll be back to the same-old-same-old. Empty rooms and quiet halls with only the stupid paintings to keep me company."

"I know how you feel," Hans admitted.

"Are you an only child?"

Hans chuckled. "No, I have twelve older brothers."

"Twelve? How could you have ever been bored?" Anna said. "I wish I had twelve older brothers."

"Not my brothers," Hans said. He hesitated. Surely this girl didn't want to hear all about his family right? He was here for diplomacy, not therapy. But Anna was now focused on him; her eyes were so open, so kind that he felt safe to keep going.

Hans sighed and looked down.

"My brothers...never accepted me. Maybe because I'm the youngest. Maybe because I never fit in with the rest of them. I think it's because...well, our mother died giving birth to me. My oldest brother, Franz, told me that... that I killed our mother. My father never disagreed. That's why they hate me. A few of them even pretended that I didn't exist for years."

"But...that's horrible!" Anna said, suddenly very angry on his behalf. Hans was confused. Why would she care? She didn't even know him.

"It's not your fault," Anna said, taking his hand and holding it tight. "You seem like a great person. You're so nice. If they were mean to you...then, well, they don't deserve you as a brother."

"Thanks," Hans said, suddenly feeling very embarrassed to have over-shared. "I'm sorry to bother you with all this."

"It wasn't your fault," Anna repeated, squeezing his hand.

Hans breathed slowly, trying to calm the heat creeping into his fingers at his touch. He didn't want her to let go, but if she found out, she'd probably agree with the rest of his brothers. He knew that she couldn't possibly be interested in a person like him, but he didn't want to ruin his chances completely by accidentally burning her.

"You know what?" Hans said, standing up and pulling his hand away. "It wasn't yours either."

"I know," Anna admitted. "I just wish she would open up to me. I wish she would…"

"Let you in?"

"Exactly."

They stayed there for a moment, taking in the Eden around them until finally, Anna stood up too and took his arm again.

"Want to do something really fun?" Anna said excitedly.

"Uh, okay," Hans said.

"Okay. Follow me."

Anna led him back into the castle, up through several flights of stairs, and to a long hallway.

"Take off your shoes," she said mischievously. Before he could ask what she was planning, the princess was sliding down the hallway in stocking feet. Holding his boots under one arm, he tried to keep up as he slid along behind her.

They spent the rest of the night gallivanting through the castle, dancing at the docks, and seeing all the best views of the city from within the castle walls.

Hans felt something for the first time. It wasn't excitement, per se, or even joy. He felt both of those when he could practice without the gloves. But this was different. Like the warmth he felt deep within his core, it radiated through him, but it was something he had never felt before.

Was this what love felt like?

Hans turned to Anna when they paused to take in the view of the city from the top of the fjord waterfall.

How could he say how he was feeling? _I think I love you, even though we just met? _He was only supposed to be here to...to strengthen the bonds between his country and Arendelle. Unless...there was a way he could satisfy his father's command and stay with Anna. He realized immediately what he wanted to do, knowing it was reckless, knowing it was impulsive, knowing it was...well, crazy.

"Can I ask you something crazy?" he said. "Like, really crazy."

"Of course!" Anna replied. "I love crazy."

Anna looked at him expectantly, her eyes and her heart open.

"Will you marry me?" Hans asked.

Anna beamed, radiant with joy.

"Can I say something crazier? Yes!"

Hans pulled Anna into a hug, shocked by how crazy they both must be.

"This is crazy, right?" he said, not letting her go. "We hardly know each other."

"We've got a whole life, that's the plan, right?" Anna replied, laughing. She looked up into his eyes. "I was hoping you would ask. It all feels like a fairytale. This has been the happiest day of my life."

"Mine too," Hans said.

"We have to tell Elsa. She'll want to know right away!"

Hans' spirits dimmed slightly. In the excitement, he had almost forgotten about Anna's sister.

"Right," he said, trying to be optimistic. Already, Elsa seemed to hate him, but hey, maybe she'd change her mind if Anna could convince her. Maybe she just needed to hear how happy they were?

There was something off about Elsa. Hans hoped against hope that she would give them her blessing, even though this entire plan was, well, crazy.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Sorry about the formatting errors! I hope that this works out better. Thank you for your patience**

Chapter 5: The Ball, Part 2

"Absolutely not," Elsa said coldly, eyeing the pair in suspicion.

"But, Elsa, you don't understand," Anna begged. "We love each other. We have so much in common...all we want is your blessing."

"You can't marry a man you just met!" Elsa spat, obviously annoyed. Turning to a steward, she said, "Tell the guards to close the gates. The party is over."

"Your Majesty, please let me explain. Let me ease your concerns-"

"The answer is no," Elsa said again.

"Elsa, please, just hear me out! It's true love!" Anna pled.

"What do you know about true love?" Elsa argued.

"More than you! All you know is how to shut people out!"

Guests were beginning to notice the argument. They watched, gawking.

Hans started to feel anger rising in the pit of his stomach. The way Anna was looking at her sister was the same way he had looked at his older brothers when he was little. Desperate. Lonely. Hurt. Hans' anger grew, and he tried to breathe slowly so that the warmth creeping into his fingertips would stay contained. Stay calm. Keep it in. Don't let it show.

"What did I ever do to you?" Anna said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Just leave me be!" Elsa screeched.

Anna tried to catch Elsa's hand as she tried to escape, but only caught her glove.

"Anna! Give it back! Now!" Elsa said, pleading.

"No!" Anna said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I won't live like this anymore. Why do you shut everyone out?"

Hans clenched his hands into fists. He didn't know anything about whatever Elsa's problem was. Or Franz, his brother. Or any of his other brothers. But it wasn't fair that someone like Anna should be embarrassed like this in front of every dignitary and noble they knew. As the sisters argued, Hans was so afraid that he would lose control if he tried to rush to Anna's defense.

Don't ruin this for the Southern Isles. Try to keep everyone calm.

"Anna, stop! Give it back, you don't know what you're doing!"

"No! What are you so scared of?"

Elsa cried out in anguish, and spikes of ice flew from her hands, filling the ballroom. Guests ran and shrieked in terror. Hans' fire was immediately extinguished as he reeled from the shock.

He was right. She was a freak of nature, like him.

Elsa fled the ballroom, and Anna chased after her. Hans followed after them both.

"Elsa, come back!" Anna cried, still chasing her sister while she escaped across the now frozen fjord. Realizing the couldn't catch her, she began to sob. Hans was right behind her, and she collapsed into his arms.

"She- she never told me," Anna wept. "She had this secret, for so long-"

"It's going to be okay," Hans reassured.

"Witchcraft!" several noblemen cried out. "Sorcery! Snow in July! We are cursed!"

Anna looked at them, wiped her face with her sleeve, and called out, "She didn't mean it! It was an accident, she was just scared-"

"Somebody needs to go after her," one nobleman called out viciously. "She needs to be restrained."

"I'm her sister. I'll go," Anna demanded.

"I'm coming with you," Hans said.

"No, I need you to stay-"

"I won't let you go off into the wilderness alone, Anna. I'm coming with you," Hans insisted.

"What do I do about-"

"Surely there were regents before your sister was crowned? Let them continue while we find Elsa." Hans said.

Anna raised her voice so the people could hear her decree. "Prince Hans, my fiance, and myself are going to find my sister. I want the regents to continue their work and take care of everyone until we can fix this. Open the gates, and let the townspeople in!"

"But the Queen said-" a guard said.

"It's too cold out here, and there's not enough room in town for all of the visitors," Hans agreed. "Anna is right."

To Anna, he continued, "We will find her, soon."

"I hope so," she said. "Thank you for coming with me."

One of the royal handlers quickly got their horses saddled and led them out. Hans helped Anna up onto Kjekk, then mounted Sitron. Anna looked around her at her people.

"We will return with your Queen," Anna announced, holding tightly to her reins. "We promise. This was an accident, and my sister means no harm, to any of you. Really, she is nice. She just...is afraid."

"But she is still your Queen," Hans added, hoping to boost the confidence of the cold townsfolk, now huddled under blankets.

"And if she doesn't come back?" a nobleman objected.

"She will. I know my sister," Anna said confidently. All traces of tears were gone from her face, replaced with a look of pure determination.

"If you can't fix this, we are doomed!" the nobleman cried.

"We aren't doomed," Hans said, courage giving him the words. "It's just a little snow, right? Arendelle is famous for its winters. You will do more than survive. If there's one thing I've learned from your princess today, it's that the people of Arendelle are determined and strong."

Anna smiled at him, and Hans sat up straighter in his saddle.

"We will return with your Queen in three days," Hans said. "Maybe even sooner."

"Stay strong," Anna encouraged.

The people cheered as Anna and Hans rounded the horses toward the gates. While the people seemed optimistic, the noblemen were huddled in suspicion and disdain. Hans and Anna looked at each other.

"I can do this," Anna said.

"We can do this," Hans replied. "Together."

With a start, they rode over the bridge and towards the mountain road, the steeds' hooves pounding through the accumulating snow. Their journey into the mountains had begun.

_If I die out here in the mountains, then at least I don't have to go home. I don't have anything in the Southern Isles. Anna and Arendelle are all I have left. _


End file.
